Gritty LyIT's win in Freshers Championship not enough to seal progression

Letterkenny IT rounded off the group stages of their All-Ireland Freshers Championship campaign with a hard-fought win over Queen’s University at the Donegal Training Centre in Convoy.

Letterkenny IT 2-7
Queen’s University 0-10

But alas it was not enough as the three-point winning margin fell short of the required nine points to qualify for the quarter-finals.

With Letterkenny, UUJ and Queen’s finishing level on four points, it is UUJ and Queen's by virtue of the better scoring average who qualified for the last eight. LyiT were looking good when Daire Gallagher’s sweetly struck penalty stretched their advantage out to nine points as the side managed by Luke Barrett led 2-4 to 0-1.

The penalty was awarded after Jack Gillespie was brought down by Cillian Fearon in the Queen’s goals. The netminder picked up a black card for the offence and full-forward Paudie Clancy faced Gallagher for the spot kick.

Five minutes earlier Carlos O’Reilly had netted LyIT’s first goal. The St Michael’s man tucked the goal away after a sweeping move for a rampant LyIT and they went 1-3 to 0-1 in front.

Eoin De Burca, Gillespie and Cian Rooney had landed the points for the Letterkenny men. Clancy, from a mark, scored the Queen’s point.

LyIT were 2-4 to 0-3 in front at half-time after James O’Hara and Fionn Nagle hit late points for Queen’s in the half.

Venue confirmed for LyIT's Sigerson Cup quarter-final against NUI Galway

Maxi Curran's team made the last eight courtesy 0-7 to 0-6 win over UCD on Tuesday

Termon’s Kevin McGettigan, a first half replacement for Cian Rooney, steadied the ship with a fine point. That was on 39 minutes and when O’ Reilly shortly afterwards split the posts with a well taken point, LyIT were four up again.

Adam Cribbin and Fionan Coyle traded points in the closing quarter and while Queen’s piled on the pressure late on all they had to show for their effort was an injury time O'Hara point.

Letterkenny IT: Daithi Roberts; Conal McDermott, Ferdia Doherty, Conor Cannon; Eoin De Burca (0-1), Liam Carty, Conor McGinty; Bannon Corrigan, Jack Gillespie (0-1); Fionnan Coyle (0-2), Carlos O'Reilly (1-1), Keith Feely; Daire Gallagher (1-0 pen), Cian Rooney (0-1f), Luke Gallagher. Subs: Kevin McGettigan (0-1) for C Rooney (15); Mickey McHale for J Gallagher (39).
Queen's: Cillian Fearon; Darrahgh Curran (0-1), Redmond French, Dara Scullion; Zac Kyle, Cathal Hynes, Liam Downey; Rory McGlynn, Dan Higgins; Oran McGrath, James O'Hara (0-3,1f), Conor Burns; Fionn Nagle (0-4), Paudie Clancy (0-2.1m), Luke Donnelly.
Subs: Adam Cribbin (0-1) for C Burns (half-time); Tom Grimes for L Donnelly (52).
Referee: James Connors (St Eunan’s)